DO NOT FEEL GUILTY.

The last 3 months have been a whirlwind. Kids out of school for the summer. Do I need to say more! : - ) "J" is high maintenance folks and thinks she needs to be busy every minute of the day. With that said I had to put on my Fab Mom gear tis summer and get moving. Karate, beach activities, tennis, festivals, pool activities and the list goes on...... Many of you will appreciate why mommies need mommytime : - ). Some of us feel guilty about wanting to spend time by ourselves. DO NOT FEEL GUILTY. I REPEAT! DO NOT FEEL GUILTY. Turns out that some of the things you think are self-indulgent are actually good for you (and your kids too):

Parenting Magazine Says:Leaving Your Child at Home"Getting a babysitter, even if it's just to run errands, helps me regroup, and it gets my kids used to being around other people," says Jill Lewis, a mom of three, ages 5, 3, and 1, in New York City. "They also learn things that they wouldn't from me. Two of our regular sitters are budding artists -- I could never dream up the projects they do with my five-year-old."

Don't feel bad about having a sitter come in for a few hours, even if it's only so you can buy lettuce in peace. It's better for everybody, really. "Many moms might not think to leave their child unless it's for an evening out. But having someone sit while you get things done on occasion is amazingly therapeutic," says Peggy Alvarado, a mom of two in Manalapan, New Jersey, and a parent coach who helps new moms and dads adjust to life with kids. "Because so many child-related tasks seem never-ending, the sense of accomplishment can really keep your stamina up, and your child would surely rather be doing something other than all those errands."

Getting a LifeSeeing friends is more than just fun -- it may keep your mind sharp, according to a University of Michigan study. "I used to feel extreme guilt about meeting up with friends after being at work all day," says Renée Amellio, a mother of two in Allenhurst, New Jersey. "But I realized that the only way to keep my sanity given my hectic schedule was to think of myself a little bit and have some fun -- and that my kids wouldn't love me any less for it." AMEN!